Chocolate Irish Creme Cupcakes

I was inspired to make these cupcakes by both the upcoming Irish festivities and the new-to-me Madhava Irish Creme flavored Agave Nectar that I recently found. The Irish creme flavor is noticeable but not overwhelming. I'm not a huge fan of chocolate cake but I though these were pretty good anyway.

Wee Irish Creme Cupcake

Chocolate Irish Crème Cupcakes


(Inspired by the Simple Agave Cupcakes

from Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World)

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup soy milk¹
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup Madhava Irish Crème Flavored Agave Nectar²
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
Line muffin pan with cupcake liners and preheat oven to 325 F.

Mix the soy milk and apple cider vinegar in a large bowl; allow to sit for a few minutes to curdle. Beat in agave, oil, vanilla, and almond extract. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until smooth. Fill liners two-thirds full. Bake 20 - 22 minutes until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Don't over bake or cupcakes will be dry.

These cupcakes need to cool at least an hour before topping or filling, and also to develop the flavor and texture properly.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Wee Chocolate Irish Creme Cupcake Soldiers

Irish Crème Agave Icing

This frosting is extremely sensitive to heat. Make sure your cupcakes are completely cool before frosting and store iced cupcakes in the fridge until ready to serve.


INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup plain soy milk¹

1 tablespoon arrowroot

Pinch of salt (scant 1/8 teaspoon)

1/3 cup Madhava Irish Crème Flavored Agave Nectar²

1/3 cup refined, nonhydrogenated coconut oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain soy milk powder³

DIRECTIONS
In a small sauce pan whisk together soy milk, arrowroot, and salt until dissolved. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, until mixture thickens into a puddinglike consistency, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and scrape mixture into a medium size bowl with a heated spatula.

Add agave nectar and whisk until combined, then add coconut oil and vanilla extract and whisk again. Add soy milk powder and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer for 4 to 5 minutes, until creamy and smooth. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 40 minutes until mixture is firm, or for best results, allow to chill overnight.

Optional: Of course, you can always dye the frosting green with some food coloring, if you want them to really look festively Irish.

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Enjoy!

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My preferred ingredients and where you can find them:

1. a. Blue Diamond Almond Breeze SWEETENED Almond Milk (Vanilla or Chocolate)- Sprouts, Whole Foods, Fry's Marketplace
b. Silk Original Soy Milk (Plain)- Sprouts, Whole Foods, Fry's Marketplace, most mainstream groceries, even Wal-Mart

2. Madhava Irish Creme flavored Agave Nectar- Sunflower Market (and possibly these other places). Whole Foods carries Madhava Agave Nectars but I did not see the Irish Creme flavor last time I was there.

3. Better Than Milk Soy Milk Powder, Plain- Whole Foods, some Sprouts locations